Rachel Sarah Thurston: vocals, tambourine, and lead cowbell...

www.rsthurston.com

Raised in the cornfields of Indiana by two rather eccentric parents, a bow-hunting surgeon who was tone-deaf and a Middle-Eastern dancing mother raised as a Quaker, I had little idea I'd land in California as one of the lead singers of a Rock n' Roll Band one day.

I began "performing" as a dancer at the ripe age of 7 and made my debut at the International Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana, dancing in front of a crowd of over 500 men and women. At the end of our choreographed routine (I performed with a scandalously older boy who was 10-years old), my partner exited the stage and I stayed on.

Even after the music ended, I continued twirling in front of all the people. My mother scurried on to the stage to drag me away so the next act could begin.

Since then, it's been a tug of war trying to get me off the stage. One of the founding members, I've been performing with King Bee for the past 18 years and the guys have become like family to me. When I'm not singing, dancing or drumming, I'm working as a travel writer/photographer (www.rsthurston.com) and an outdoor guide (www.sbadventureco.com). My mamacita and I travel as much as possible. Most recently we headed to North Vietnam and we're now heading to North India for trekking, tiger "hunting," and a camel safari.

What I'm thankful for: my health, my friends, my family, the internet, my passport and my freedom to travel, my cat, Red Bull, Tequila, chocolate, my Canon 20D, my computer, an over-active imagination, a healthy sense of humor, and the opportunity to have music in my life on a daily basis.